Rams say journey isn’t accountable for his or her Australia debacle – NBC Los Angeles

Earlier than Sean McVay jumped on his second 15-hour flight in lower than two days, he insisted the Los Angeles Rams ’ unorthodox journey plan for Australia wasn’t the explanation his Tremendous Bowl-contending workforce took a thrashing from the San Francisco 49ers in its season opener.

If the coach is correct, that is really extra dismaying and regarding than the opposite state of affairs.

Which means the Rams had been fully unprepared to face their most acquainted foe. Which means their high-priced, star-studded roster could not execute, talk or carry out at a degree to even maintain it shut with the Niners, a powerful workforce nonetheless thought of to be solely third greatest within the NFC West.

Which means McVay’s Rams (0-1), who by no means accomplish a lot within the preseason anyway, nonetheless have heaps of labor to do following their 27-7 defeat Friday. It was the second-worst loss by a Tremendous Bowl betting favourite to open a season and the Rams’ first loss in a global sport below McVay.

“Typically sports activities can humble you, and as we speak was a kind of days,” McVay stated. “I make no excuses. Whether or not you wish to say it’s journey, no matter, we simply weren’t adequate in that window. I didn’t coach adequate. We’ll get it. We’ll transfer ahead.”

Los Angeles was embarrassed in entrance of 100,021 keen followers on the Melbourne Cricket Floor who did not get to see the manufacturing anticipated from McVay’s offense, which led the NFL in scoring and yards per sport final season. In actual fact, the Rams had by no means scored fewer factors in any sport began by Matthew Stafford over the previous six years.

The Rams all refused accountable the journey schedule chosen by McVay, who clearly shares most coaches’ quiet disdain for the routine-disrupting worldwide journeys undertaken to show soccer to profitable new audiences.

“I don’t doubt the decision-making of my coach or my group,” Myles Garrett stated. “I feel they did what was greatest for us. We didn’t execute on the sphere after we wanted to.”

The bigger sports activities world was not as charitable, with McVay and the Rams taking large criticism in Australia and on-line for trying to show the longest highway journey in NFL historical past right into a shuttle flight. A number of 49ers, together with touchdown-scoring receivers Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel, stated their workforce had been a lot smarter by arriving per week upfront.

But when the Rams are appropriate in saying the journey did not matter, they’re in a troublesome spot — as a result of McVay does not lose season openers usually, however when he does, they’re fairly unhealthy.

The Rams are actually 7-3 in openers below McVay, and this trouncing on a global stage joins their 31-10 house loss to Buffalo in 2022 to kick off the worst season by a defending champion in NFL historical past. Los Angeles additionally misplaced at Detroit in 2024 to start McVay’s solely 1-4 begin to a season.

What’s working

The Rams’ working sport labored higher than it did for lengthy stretches final season. Blake Corum rushed for 54 yards on simply 10 carries, whereas Kyren Williams scored the primary NFL landing in Australia.

What wants assist

The Rams’ revamped protection was embarrassed by Kyle Shanahan, Brock Purdy and the San Francisco offense, which racked up 379 yards and put the sport away with a 99-yard landing drive. The issues had been multifold, however coordinator Chris Shula’s unit wasn’t prepared for an opponent that has achieved this to the Rams repeatedly for a decade.

Top off

Large-money cornerback Trent McDuffie was nearly as good as anticipated in his debut, making 4 tackles and two cross breakups whereas delivering the shutdown protection anticipated. The obvious struggles of Quentin Lake and Kam Kinchens in protection may make it smart to maneuver McDuffie across the discipline extra.

Inventory down

Stafford was ineffective within the first sport after his MVP season, going 15 of 25 for simply 155 yards with an interception — and no landing passes in a regular-season sport for the primary time since 2024. San Francisco defensive coordinator Raheem Morris is aware of Stafford very effectively, and the 38-year-old quarterback admitted he did not meet the problem.

Accidents

Garrett’s knee harm is extra critical than he let on, and he nonetheless performed 62% of the snaps after enjoying about 82% for Cleveland final 12 months. Ten days of restoration needs to be useful, however the Rams want their new celebrity in high type. … S Kam Curl left early with an ankle harm. … TE Davis Allen was evaluated for a concussion.

Key quantity

42 — The variety of consecutive video games through which the Rams had scored a minimum of 10 factors earlier than Melbourne.

Subsequent steps

The Rams have ample time to get better earlier than the New York Giants’ go to to Inglewood for a Monday evening sport on Sept. 21. A bounceback efficiency towards a rebuilding opponent appears important — and it might be the evening when Aaron Donald returns.